Thursday, May 16, 2013

“Mom in the Mirror”

I
read a book that’s aimed at women, mothers, and young women. And it’s a book
that should be read by men, fathers, and young men.

It’s
a book about women and their attitudes about their bodies, before, during and
after – even long after – their pregnancies. It’s about the culture we live in,
and what it tells women they should think about their bodies. It’s about what
women will do to meet those cultural expectations. And it’s about a different
path women (and men, indirectly) can take, and likely should take.

“We
live in a society that demonizes fat,” they write; “meanwhile, we are more
overweight than ever before. Every day at least ten million women deny
themselves acceptance and love by abusing food in some way, shape, or form.
Clearly, something is wrong.”

Something
is wrong, and it’s not a simple fix. Cabrera and Wierenga walk the reader
through the complexities, which can include eating disorders, the influence of
a woman’s own mother, anxiety, the changes a woman’s body experiences, the
demands of pregnancy and childrearing, the stages a woman’s body goes through
from childhood to adulthood, competitiveness with other women, balancing
marriage with motherhood, and many other aspects. And they offer encouragement,
guidance, and resources on how to get help.

And
their underlying message is itself about encouragement and hope: learn to love, starting with yourself.

Cabrera
is a licensed clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist, working at
the Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders in Wickenburg, Arizona. Wierenga is
a married mother of two living in Canada, who battled anorexia and told her
story in Chasing
Silhouettes. (I reviewed Chasing
Silhouetteshere
and did a two-part interview with Emily for The
High Calling and here.)

Mom in the Mirror is a book whose
time is now. Women and mothers need it. So do men and fathers.

1 comment:

I remember when, after having read a manly book written for men, I was able to interject something into a conversation that the menfolk around me were having. They were alarmed that I had read this book too. I explained that it gave me some insight into their inner workings and the spiritual implications of such... Then one of those fellers shook his head in agreement and asked what book(s) I thought he should read to help him better understand the women in his life.

It's important to learn that we are not in our gender-specific struggles, but also to discover that our counterparts care, too.

A Light Shining

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Professional writer exploring faith and culture, life and work; happily married to Janet, the love of my life; father of two grown sons. Award-winning speechwriter and communication consultant. I am also a contributing editor for The High Calling and for TweetSpeak Poetry. I am also the author of the novels "Dancing Priest" and "A Light Shining," and the non-fiction book "Poetry at Work."